Expansible toy and bank



June 3, 1952 w. E. LAWSON, JR, ET AL 2,598,807

' EXPANSIBLE TOY AND BANK Filed Oct. 29, 1948 3nnentors William E.Lawson, Sr:

William E. awson, Jr:

Patented June 3, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE William E. Lawson,Jr.-, and William E. Lawson, Sr., Rahway, N. J.

Application October 29, 1948, Serial No. 57,292

3 Claims. (c1. 463) The invention relates to an amusement and savingdevice, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide a deviceof this character having a construction which is simple and inexpensive.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterin which the insertion of a coin will release the cover or lid,whereupon a jack-in-the-box or other figure will lift the lid or coverand spring into sight.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterin which the figure in springing into view will produce a sound, such asa squeal, squawk, or whistle, and which may also cause the ringing of abell.

A further object of theinvention is to provide a simple and inexpensivepartition structure, easily removable and replaceable, for maintainingthe coin compartment closed when the lid or cover is opened by theinsertion of a coin.

Various other objects and advantages of the Figure 2 is a verticalsectional view of the device in closed position;

Figure 3 is a plan View of the device in open position, the lid or coverbeing partly broken away; and

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view of the preferred partitionconstruction for maintaining the coin compartment closed-when the lid orcover is moved to open position.

Referring to the drawings in more detail, numeral l indicates areceptacle in the form of a box or bank, and provided with a hingedcover or lid 2. The box or bank body and. lid preferably are formed ofattractively coloredplastic material, though of course it could beformed of sheet metal, wood, or cardboard.

In order to form a separate coin compartment a partition 3, of plasticor other material, is provided. This partition must be easily removableand replaceable, and the construction must be inexpensive. The preferredform comprises a horizontal portion 4 and an upwardly inclined portion5. The horizontal portion rests on the upper ends of a plurality of ribs6 which are" preferably formed with the bank walls; and the rear edge ofthe horizontal portion is'provided with a tab '1 which fits into a slot8 in the'rear wall of the bank or box.

The forward edge of the inclined portion is likewise provided with a tab9 which snaps into a slot II] in the front wall of the bank. Thus thepartition is securely locked in place, but can be easily removed bysnapping the tab 9 out of the slot I0, as with a coin or any suitableimplement. To replace the partition, after the bank 2 has been emptied,the rear tab is inserted in the slot 8 and theirv downward pressure onthe: front or inclined. portion of the partitioncauses the tab 9 to snapinto the front slot It). Any upward pull or pressure on the partitiontends to force the front tab more securely into its slot.

Numeral ll refers to a leaf spring which carries at its upper end alatch I2 adapted to engage a catch I3 on the lid 2 and thus lock the lidin closed position. Of course the lower end of the leaf spring may beattached to the partition in any desired manner. In the specific formillustrated the lower portionof the leaf spring is gripped by a memberl4 and the lower end of the spring engages in a slot 15.

The central portion of the leaf spring is bowed and the bowed portion ispositioned adjacent a coin slot It. The upper portion of the springpasses through a slot [1 in the inclined portion of g the partition, andbelow this slot the spring is preferably provided with a relativelysharp bend or shoulder I 8. 7

While the bank could be designed to receive coins of all sizes, thepresent embodiment is" designed' to receive pennies, nickels, dimes andquarters. When one of these coins-is inserted, it will push the springover far enough to unlatch the latch I2 from the catch l3 and the springwill flex to permit the coin to drop in the coin compartment beneath thepartition; The slot ll acts as a guide forthe leaf spring and thus keepslatch I2 aligned laterally with the catch 13. And when the leaf springis pushed in beyond the point where the spring latch releases the catchI3, the

bend or shoulder l8 will engage the partition at the lower end of theslot I1 and thus prevent overflexing of'the spring. And the upper end ofthe slot H will act as alimiting element so that the latch l2 cannotassume a position too far forward to be properly engaged by the catch [3when-the cover is lowered to closed position;

Any pressure exerted by the spring on the partition member will be in anupward direction, and such pressure will not tendto displace thepartition, but on the contrary will tend to force the front tab moresecurely into its slot.

Itwill be understood, of course, that the above detailed description ofthe spring latch mechanism which is operated by the insertion of a coin,relates to the specific construction illustrated, and that various partsmay be changed, reversed, etc.; the main feature of this spring latcharrangement being that it is located wholly within the box or bank andmovable'tounlatching position by the insertion of a coin through thecoin slot. I

When the latch is thus moved to unlatched position the cover 2- springsopen and a jack-inthe-box or other desired figure jumps up. In thespecificembodiment illustrated the figure skirt 22. Within the skirt isa coil spring 2 3,and

thus when the catch is released, by the insertion of a coin, the figurewill spring upwardly and open the cover. The cover on its underside maybe provided with a circular socket 24. In closing the cover the top ofthe figure head is engaged in the socket so that the figure is collapsedin an upright position in the bank.

' As mentioned hereinbefore, the figure preferably includes afvoice orsound producing device. This .is so'incorporated in thefigure that theadditional cost is almost negligible for the ordinary coil spring of avoice also functions to open the cover, and the skirt of the figurefunctions as a bellows. In the specific construction illustrated,numerals 25 and 26 refer respectively to lower and upper discs.

The lower disc. is secured to the upper face of the partition in anydesired manner, as by cementing, and the partition may be provided with,an embossed locating ring 21 to receive the disc 25.

The upper disc 26 is secured to the figure shoulder 2|, leaving aspace!!! above the disc, and an air; and sound opening 29 providescommunication between the space 28 and the atmosphere. Avoice reed 30 ismounted in the disc 26.

The discs 25 and 26 are connected by the skirt 22 of the figure, andthis skirt functions as a bellows for the voice. The previouslymentioned coil spring '23 is positioned between the discs 25 and 26. rThe head of the figure may be provided with a bell}! which rings whenthe figure jumpsup, upon thedeposit of a coin in the bank. V i

From the ioregoing description it will be apparent that we have deviseda very simple and inexpensive amusement and savings device.

' I The p'arts are so constructed and arranged as to provide a largecoin compartment separated from the remainder of the box by aninexpensive partition construction which is easily removable andreplaceable.

' When the bank is closedall parts are concealed within the box, and thebox is locked against opening except by the deposit 'of a coin.

When a coin is inserted in the coin slot IS the leaf spring will bemoved sufiiciently to permit the coin to drop into the coin compartment,and at the same'time the latch [2' will be moved to release the catch13. The shoulder I8 by ngagement with the partition prevents overflexingof the spring, the slot I! maintains the latch properly alignedlaterally with respect to the catch, and the upper end of the slot l1prevents the latch from assuming a'position too far forward to beproperly engaged by the catch when i the cover islowered.

The catch having been released by the deposit of a coin, thejack-in-the-box or other desired figure throws the lid open and springsinto view.

the specific embodiment illustrated. In such construction, when thefigure springs upwardly by reason of the voice spring 23,..upon the,

deposit of a coin, the disc 26 moves away from the disc 25, the skirt ofthe figure functions as a bellows, and air is drawn in through the voicereed 30, thereby causing the production of the desired word, squeal,squawk, or whistle. When the lid is lowered the head of the figure isengaged in the socket so that the figure will be lowered in an uprightposition, and this lowering of the figure will cause the skirt orbellows 22 to collapse, to the position shown in Figure 2, and the airwill vent through the reed and opening 29.

When the coin compartment is filled it can be readily emptied by removalof the partition 3, in the manner hereinbefore described.

Having fully described the invention, what we claim is:

1. An amusement and savings device including a box and a cover thereon,a partition in the box forming a coin compartment in the lower portionof the box, the box having a coin slot communicating with the coincompartment, an expansible toy on the upper side of the partition, acatch on the box cover, a spring mounted latch in the box to engage thecatch, the partition having a slot, said latch spring passing throughsaid slot, and said latch spring arranged adjacent the coin slot,whereby a coin inserted in the coin slot moves the latch to release thecover.

2. An amusement and savings device including forming a coin compartmentin the lower portion of the box, the box having a coin slotcommunicating with the coin compartment, an expansible toy in the upperportion of the box, a catch on the box cover, a spring mounted latch inthe box to engage the catch, the partition having a slot, said latchspring passing through said slot, said latch spring arranged adjacentthe coin slot, whereby a coin inserted in the coin slot moves the latchto release the cover, and a shoulder formed in said spring and adaptedto engage the partition adjacent the lower end of the partition slot toprevent undue flexing of the latch spring.

3. An amusement and savings device including a box and a cover thereon,a coin compartment in the box, an expansible toy in the box in asubstantially vertical position, a spring mounted latch for locking thebox cover in closed position, the box having a coin slot communicatingwith the coin compartment, said latch spring arranged adjacent the coinslot, whereby a coin inserted in the slot moves the latch to release thecover and the expansible toy, and means on .the cover constructed toengage about a portion of the ex,- pansible toy and cause the toy tocollapse substantially vertically when the cover is moved to closedposition.

WILLIAM E. LAWSON, JR. WILLIAM E.,LAWSGN, Ss.

7 REFERENCES crrED Q Thefollowing references are of record in the fileof this patent: a

'UNITED STATES P TENTS

